mreaves Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I figured since the town atmosphere was an important criteria I didn't think he NEK would qualify. But, reading your willing to look, you should check out Newark/Sutton/Westmore area. Lots of snow, good retention, not to far off of 91, ski burke, VAST out your door. Lydonville, St.J, Glover, IP all within a short drive for better than you can imagine food and comfortable night life. I'll let others speak to the areas benefit during the summer.Lake Willoughby ❤️. My favorite lake in the state. Absolutely gorgeous area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I'm not a big fan personally of the ski area at BW, but it is fantastic for beginner and intermediate cruising terrain and there's a big area to explore and several high speed lifts. Also they rarely have wind holds, so you can get out on storm days. Yeah depends on what you're into. When they get powder it can be really really awesome, but definitely lacks the "scare" factor for more advanced skiers. Read an article recently that they are trying to change that but open new steep and less groomed terrain, but they are still a mellow resort. Being a mellow skier, I don't mind that! And it's a good option for a "higher elevation" home in the area; there's a few in Jackson in the 1600-1800 range but not too many, and unfortunately no upslope there... which I'm a big fan of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Yeah depends on what you're into. When they get powder it can be really really awesome, but definitely lacks the "scare" factor for more advanced skiers. Read an article recently that they are trying to change that but open new steep and less groomed terrain, but they are still a mellow resort. Being a mellow skier, I don't mind that! And it's a good option for a "higher elevation" home in the area; there's a few in Jackson in the 1600-1800 range but not too many, and unfortunately no upslope there... which I'm a big fan of. I've always wondered, how much upslope do you get over on that side in Bretton Woods? Looking at it on a topo-map, it looks like it would do quite well there with Mount Washington's wall sitting there as a back-drop...any blocked flow must unload fluffy dendrites on that side of the range where Bretton Woods is. I know they can report a decent amount of snowfall in those NW flow events. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORH_wxman Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I've always wondered, how much upslope do you get over on that side in Bretton Woods? Looking at it on a topo-map, it looks like it would do quite well there with Mount Washington's wall sitting there as a back-drop...any blocked flow must unload fluffy dendrites on that side of the range where Bretton Woods is. I know they can report a decent amount of snowfall in those NW flow events. They get some upslope there but not like the Greens...they actually had some weak upslope when I skied at BW in early April which I was surprised to see but it cleared out by 10am...Jackson is on the other side of the spine compared to Bretton Woods, so they wouldn't get much upslope. Just rotting leftovers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 They get some upslope there but not like the Greens...they actually had some weak upslope when I skied at BW in early April which I was surprised to see but it cleared out by 10am...Jackson is on the other side of the spine compared to Bretton Woods, so they wouldn't get much upslope. Just rotting leftovers. I vividly remember one event from early March 2004 or 2005, there was a big upslope event that dropped 10-14" in BTV and 2-3 feet in the ski resorts, but I remember reading the MWN observer comments and the photo associated with it was of mostly sunny skies on the Rockpile, with thick clouds just below the summit. The observer mentioned something about how Bretton Woods had gotten 12-18" of snowfall while the summit had only had an inch or two because the snow was all being formed below the inversion level at 6,000ft. I just remember Bretton Woods being mentioned with upslope....but also throught it was cool because they got a big dump that MWN was literally too high to get in on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginx snewx Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I vividly remember one event from early March 2004 or 2005, there was a big upslope event that dropped 10-14" in BTV and 2-3 feet in the ski resorts, but I remember reading the MWN observer comments and the photo associated with it was of mostly sunny skies on the Rockpile, with thick clouds just below the summit. The observer mentioned something about how Bretton Woods had gotten 12-18" of snowfall while the summit had only had an inch or two because the snow was all being formed below the inversion level at 6,000ft. I just remember Bretton Woods being mentioned with upslope....but also throught it was cool because they got a big dump that MWN was literally too high to get in on.yep,spot on, been there when it's the only spot snowing, Cannon gets that way too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncletim Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Welcome! And I hope to hear more from you, especially if you're in Rangeley in wintertime, as we get little or no direct info from there (or any of Maine's other big snow areas.) Wish we there more in the winter to provide info, but our cottage is really a "three-season" uninsulated place that we press into service for a brief time to do some skiing. Got to 17 below last winter when we were there and at that point you start to worry more about pipes and propane supply than ski conditions... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Speaking of upslope - a question for our VT friends. What is the average snowfall in Stowe village, as opposed to upslope? I know I have seen first hand a significant difference during upslope events, but I was wondering what the data actually says... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamarack Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Wish we there more in the winter to provide info, but our cottage is really a "three-season" uninsulated place that we press into service for a brief time to do some skiing. Got to 17 below last winter when we were there and at that point you start to worry more about pipes and propane supply than ski conditions... Rangeley, winter, uninsulated. Not three words you want to see in the same sentence! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dryslot Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Wish we there more in the winter to provide info, but our cottage is really a "three-season" uninsulated place that we press into service for a brief time to do some skiing. Got to 17 below last winter when we were there and at that point you start to worry more about pipes and propane supply than ski conditions... Rangeley, winter, uninsulated. Not three words you want to see in the same sentence! Oh, No no no Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cja1987 Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Reviving an old thread and maybe a bit off topic but... What are opinions on the Monadnock Region of NH? Not necessarily for the ideal snowy 'vacation' home but something within striking distance of Boston. I'm probably a few years away from this but my ultimate goal is to be working in the BOS area 2-3 days per week max and spend the rest of my time at another flexible job in Nashua. These are 2 places I already have jobs with so its not as elusive as it sounds, haha. Any especially good towns in SW NH area for snow? Perhaps more importantly, any known screw zones? Id have to say I'm more familiar with the nuances of central/whites and even far north when it comes to NH than I am with the local climates of the Monadnock region. I know decent parts of Dublin and Jaffrey are 1,000-1,500+. Ive only really been through that area once in the winter and remember an exponential increase in snowpack right around the MA/NH state line in the Mason area on up. That data point hardly means anything though, I dont recall what we had had for storms recently in the region at that time. Retention is still a bit of a concern for me, I will have to pay closer attention to obs this coming winter but I feel like AFN mixes out and blowtorches sometimes 12+ hours before ASH (and sometimes ASH never mixes out and sits in the mid 30s while high elevations blow torch). I know snowfall is not what it is further north but I'm looking for good "striking distance" from Boston, not interested in a 2-5 hr ride every time I wanna get to a winter wonderland. Someday Id maybe spring for something in the Pittsburg to Carabassett realm but its just not realistic to "commute" a few days a week to metro BOS. Id love to hear from anyone that knows the climo of the area or has any comments at all. Im starting to loosely think of towns to consider. Id consider areas just north too up towards Antrim, Stoddard and Hillsborough but those kind of strike me as screw zones from the little Ive seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Jaffery seems to pop up a lot on PNS statements with solid totals in the big events. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORH_wxman Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 New Ipswich is a good place in the monadnocks. So is Rindge. Also consider Temple and Sharon. Mason isn't bad, though I'd probably personally go one town to the west in New Ipswich to get further up the east slope there. Those other towns I mentioned are further up the slope too. What is nice about place slike New Ipswich/Greenville/Temple is that they are just to the east of the Wapack Range so they will get really good CAD...whereas places like AFN are on the west side...AFN still does really well for CAD, but not as well as those other towns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORH_wxman Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Peterborough is another really good spot...it is west of the Wapack range but north of AFN and has the spine of the Monadnocks to its WSW...basically an elevated basin there between the two ranges. But for combo of drive time to BOS/ASH and maximum snow/ice...my choice would be New Ipswich or Greenville. The places further away that do better only improve by a marginal amount but yet might add 20-30 minutes of drive time each way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cja1987 Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Pulled out the Delorme Greenville/New Ipswich/Temple/Sharon looks like a great general area. I feel like the mesoscale terrain enhancements are not huge compared to areas to the far north so its not worth trying to cherry pick upslope areas. Is it not pretty rare for the Monadnocks to cash in on moist NW flow? I don't see much raving about upslope in that region. I do think being on the east side of the escarpment towards the Wapack and Monadnocks (such as it is) would be a very good thing in your typical coastal scenario. It does seem that area has got shafted on coastals of late but I can think of plenty of winters where they were just pure money everytime (Dec '02 or '03, I think?). SWFE's tend to dump there as well. Being south of Boston, I know I'm often thinking "geez, give me even just ASH or Merrimack snow and Ill be happy as can be" so getting a bit west with elevation should help out even more. Also, looking at all those towns mentioned, there are pretty quick and easy offshoots taking you straight in from Rt 101 and Rt 124 dropping you straight into MA. Not much traffic out that way, could be in the 495 corridor relatively quick. I like the more rural and hilly feel. As much as I would be pretty darn happy with ASH/MHT area climo compared to BOS, it feels too much like the city for me. I have not done a boatload of research on housing options but I'm looking for something freestanding and minimalistic that I can potentially add on to. Id even have my own small place built on the right piece of land if possible. Id like a decently long rural driveway to sculpt my snowbanks along and a nice big yard to mow in the summer, haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORH_wxman Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 If you wanted to be a complete weenie....then I'd go to Marlow, NH....but that is pretty far north in Cheshire county. But if you were considering Soddard, then you might as well do Marlow...much better. Tons of elevation there. But of course, I know drive time also factors into the equation. Marlow is about 1 hour to Nashua and about 1:45 to Boston. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastalWx Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 If you wanted to be a complete weenie....then I'd go to Marlow, NH....but that is pretty far north in Cheshire county. But if you were considering Soddard, then you might as well do Marlow...much better. Tons of elevation there. But of course, I know drive time also factors into the equation. Marlow is about 1 hour to Nashua and about 1:45 to Boston. Man those towns are great there. Washington/Marlow etc. Awesome spot..obviously very rural though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORH_wxman Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Pulled out the Delorme Greenville/New Ipswich/Temple/Sharon looks like a great general area. I feel like the mesoscale terrain enhancements are not huge compared to areas to the far north so its not worth trying to cherry pick upslope areas. Is it not pretty rare for the Monadnocks to cash in on moist NW flow? I don't see much raving about upslope in that region. I do think being on the east side of the escarpment towards the Wapack and Monadnocks (such as it is) would be a very good thing in your typical coastal scenario. It does seem that area has got shafted on coastals of late but I can think of plenty of winters where they were just pure money everytime (Dec '02 or '03, I think?). SWFE's tend to dump there as well. Being south of Boston, I know I'm often thinking "geez, give me even just ASH or Merrimack snow and Ill be happy as can be" so getting a bit west with elevation should help out even more. Also, looking at all those towns mentioned, there are pretty quick and easy offshoots taking you straight in from Rt 101 and Rt 124 dropping you straight into MA. Not much traffic out that way, could be in the 495 corridor relatively quick. I like the more rural and hilly feel. As much as I would be pretty darn happy with ASH/MHT area climo compared to BOS, it feels too much like the city for me. I have not done a boatload of research on housing options but I'm looking for something freestanding and minimalistic that I can potentially add on to. Id even have my own small place built on the right piece of land if possible. Id like a decently long rural driveway to sculpt my snowbanks along and a nice big yard to mow in the summer, haha. Yeah the access to those towns is definitely a lot easier than further to the west. New Ipswich is easiest for getting to Boston and Temple is probably easiest for getting to Nashua. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastalWx Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 I'd rather live south of BOS than ASH..lol. At least you have a good shot at getting nailed in a major coastal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamarack Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 You could buy the old Temple Mt ski area. That spot was always a challenge when we were driving to and from Dublin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cja1987 Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 I'd rather live south of BOS than ASH..lol. At least you have a good shot at getting nailed in a major coastal. haha, I cant complain about the big dumps Ive seen in my life, they have been nothing short of amazing. That said, its just too transient most of the time and P-Type is just a constant concern even when you think you are safe it can rear its ugly head. S NH does not seem to get the big dumps as much but there seem to be so many other times that they pull 6-12" out of a SWFE while we rain at 45. When do we ever really get pack refreshers? Survive a blowtorch? Unheard of... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastalWx Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 haha, I cant complain about the big dumps Ive seen in my life, they have been nothing short of amazing. That said, its just too transient most of the time and P-Type is just a constant concern even when you think you are safe it can rear its ugly head. S NH does not seem to get the big dumps as much but there seem to be so many other times that they pull 6-12" out of a SWFE while we rain at 45. When do we ever really get pack refreshers? Survive a blowtorch? Unheard of... Yep, but you enjoy the fun that comes when you get creamed. Those places are great in the winter, but I like to have more options in terms of stuff to do in the summer. I like the ocean when it comes to that. At least up that way you have some lakes nearby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cja1987 Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Yep, but you enjoy the fun that comes when you get creamed. Those places are great in the winter, but I like to have more options in terms of stuff to do in the summer. I like the ocean when it comes to that. At least up that way you have some lakes nearby. Yes, lakes close by, plenty of hiking and biking options. I feel like, aside from Monadnock which is one of the most climbed mtns there is, the areas recreation options are less saturated then you'd find in the I-93 corridor. Lack of a straight shot highway from Boston tends to help with that. Even going to the bigger lakes in NH is not that big of a deal. Living south of Boston, the biggest pain in the rear about recreating in NNE is getting through traffic to the other side of Boston. Even going a bit of distance on NH country roads is not a big deal, its relaxing to me. My family is deeply rooted in metro BOS, as such I think I will always have property to weenie out at when the big dumps come plus id be down here on a pretty regular basis. Just trying to balance the "best of both worlds" thing. If I had infinite money for property and gas to go between them, Id do something S Cent/SW NH and something in Pittsburg, NH. I dont think ill ever buy anything in metro BOS, I will rely on family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Best case scenario would be have a place in the upslope areas of NNH/NVT, another place in either the Berks/SVT/SNH/WME at elevation, then another spot along the coast like the North Shore. 3 spots and can pick your location depending on the impending storms haha. You'd have the far northern interior, then a spot for deform band snows in CNE, and then another for the coastal paste bombs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORH_wxman Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 haha, I cant complain about the big dumps Ive seen in my life, they have been nothing short of amazing. That said, its just too transient most of the time and P-Type is just a constant concern even when you think you are safe it can rear its ugly head. S NH does not seem to get the big dumps as much but there seem to be so many other times that they pull 6-12" out of a SWFE while we rain at 45. When do we ever really get pack refreshers? Survive a blowtorch? Unheard of... Don't sell that New Ipswich belt short in big Nor' Easters...they do very well. They had 2 seperate 30" snowstorms in 2001...lol. Plenty of other large storms have nailed them...2 feet in the October 2011 storm. Feb 2013 even gave them 2 feet. They got about 20 inches in both the Jan 2005 blizzard and Dec 2003 storm. They got over 20" in PDII as well....they sneak under the radar. Nobody really notices because its not a widely reported region. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastalWx Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 I saw pics of New Ipswich in 2001. Incredible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Don't sell that New Ipswich belt short in big Nor' Easters...they do very well. They had 2 seperate 30" snowstorms in 2001...lol. Plenty of other large storms have nailed them...2 feet in the October 2011 storm. Feb 2013 even gave them 2 feet. They got about 20 inches in both the Jan 2005 blizzard and Dec 2003 storm. They got over 20" in PDII as well....they sneak under the radar. Nobody really notices because its not a widely reported region. They are probably in that same belt as the southern VT highlands like 2,400ft in Woodford or 1,800ft in Halifax that can get some monster storms (such as the ones you mentioned). There was a town, Jamaica, VT down there that had a 77" snow depth mid-March 2001. Definitely an under appreciated area for snow. But that was the winter people up near Jay Peak were entering their homes and cabins through second story windows lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 I bet Pete sees snow. Is his climate that much different from yours? You always mention Pete like he lives in another world, isn't he like only 300ft higher but south of you? I would think the slight latitude difference would make up a couple hundred feet of elevation difference in annual snowfall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastalWx Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Is his climate that much different from yours? You always mention Pete like he lives in another world, isn't he like 300ft higher but south of you? Well when you add up every dusting as half an inch like Pete does, it makes it sound like Mt Mansfield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dryslot Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Is his climate that much different from yours? You always mention Pete like he lives in another world, isn't he like only 300ft higher but south of you? I would think the slight latitude difference would make up a couple hundred feet of elevation difference in annual snowfall. It's a special place, Its also where old curmudgeons reside Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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